Sean Steur's frustration was clear as he left the Hill Dickinson Stadium after Newcastle United's Carabao Cup fourth round defeat to Everton. The 18-year-old was introduced with nine minutes remaining, with the game effectively decided, yet still managed nine passes and nine touches during Newcastle's best spell of the match.
Late Cameo in Defeat
After Dan Burn pulled a goal back, the Magpies began to test the Everton defence, although the Toffees had already eased off. Steur's arrival in the closing stages drew ironic cheers from the travelling supporters, almost 8,000 of whom had been waiting to see the teenager make an impact.
Had Steur been brought on earlier, even at half-time, his energy and determination might have changed the outcome. Instead, he watched from the bench as head coach Matthias Jaissle opted for seniority, starting Jacob Ramsey as the second holding midfielder.
Limited Opportunities Since Hull Win
Since the 2-1 victory over Hull, Steur has been restricted to a couple of cameo appearances and has been an unused substitute twice. The summer signing from Ajax has arguably been the most impressive of Newcastle's new arrivals, adapting quickly to life on Tyneside.
Nico Gonzalez, who cost £50m from Manchester City, appears undroppable, leaving Steur as the fall guy in midfield. Jaissle's reasoning for leaving him out has not always been convincing, beyond the fact that the young Dutchman is less likely to complain.
Jaissle's Stance on Steur
Jaissle said earlier this month: "First of all, we're all sure, the whole club, the whole coaching staff, and I think also the players, of what great potential Sean has."
"He showed that already. He showed also, like many other lads, that there are ups and downs already here in the season. But this is normal and something we were aware of beforehand. Now it's time for him to get that confidence and maturity, as a player who didn't have that experience in the Premier League, through the training sessions and training weeks."
With Joelinton, Gonzalez and Ramsey ahead of him in the pecking order, another stint as substitute appears likely. Steur may now have to wait for limited Premier League minutes until the FA Cup third round in January, depending on the quality of opponents.
